cool.. got my new hip totally pain free two hrs out from the op , morphine is soo good!, its called hip resurfacing and hopefully will suit climbers and the more active perdon. Anyway I can't be the only person going to get this done so will keep an update going to keep you informed how it goes.
Cheers Rick

ropedonkey - the missus is very interested... she'll need something along these lines sooner rather than later. She'd be stoked to hear from you how the recovery goes and any surgery / advice summary / etc stories or wise words.

Had definitely gained a limp or swagger, could not get thru a day without voltaron and panadeine tablets. Walking was the killer if I could get to the cliff climbing was great but I had a ten minute access tops. Then came mobility just putting the shoe on turned into a stupid ing process my mobile is 0424244810 if you want info.
I used Professor Paul Smitc from the ACT even thou I live at jervis bay. Shop around and jump in private insurance .

On 25/03/2013 ropedonkey wrote:>Had definitely gained a limp or swagger, could not get thru a day without>voltaron and panadeine tablets. Walking was the killer if I could get to>the cliff climbing was great but I had a ten minute access tops. Then came>mobility just putting the shoe on turned into a stupid ing process my mobile>is 0424244810 if you want info.>I used Professor Paul Smitc from the ACT even thou I live at jervis bay.>Shop around and jump in private insurance .

I know a couple of climbers who've had hip replacements and they're doing fine. There are particular moves that they can't do (or shouldn't) and they just work around those limitations. I believe it is important that the surgeon understands what you are going to be doing as some prostheses are more suitable for climbing than others (this could be a load of bollocks, I may have misunderstood this).

On 26/03/2013 Big G wrote:>On 26/03/2013 mikllaw wrote:>>more good news from the bionic donkey. I think you'll be back on rock>before>>me (new bub). mikl>>No way Mikl, you just need to strap on the baby bjorn... or get a bigger>chalk bag

On 26/03/2013 kieranl wrote:> I believe it is important that>the surgeon understands what you are going to be doing as some prostheses>are more suitable for climbing than others (this could be a load of bollocks,>I may have misunderstood this).
No, you are spot on, Kieran. Being very clear with your surgeon on what you want to do is very important. I had a full hip replacement (note: not resurfacing) in late 2009 after very lengthy discussions with a bunch of different surgeons. Using as large a joint as will fit in the socket is a very important factor in achieving a wide range of movement.
I was lucky that the surgeon I ended up with is very progressive re techniques and up on all the latest research. I would recommend trying to find someone who uses the AMIS (Anterior Minimal Invasive Surgery) procedure: http://www.medacta.com/en/all/patients-and-caregivers/hip/why-amis-total-hip-replacement.

I was told I needed a hip replacement almost 7 years ago. Extremely painful and debilitating. Even rolling over in bed was difficult. Specialists told me there was no cure other than metal hips. After some research, I developed a treatment and within a few months I was back to climbing. Iím still totally pain free. Hoping it lasts at least another 7 years.

My hip was damaged when I dislocated it 20 years ago and it was showing in x-rays to be bone on bone. No amount of exercises was going to make it better. Did the research and have got the large fixture, my only concern with hip resurfacing is the metal on metal component, which was bad news via a few companies, have been assured the product is good now...
Anyway day 1 was spent being sick after each meal and nearly fainting when I stood up so not the best start...
The pain is less than it was before the op so that looks like a win early. Day 2 looks like a longer walk so I hope the fainting stays away....

On 26/03/2013 ropedonkey wrote:>My hip was damaged when I dislocated it 20 years ago and it was showing>in x-rays to be bone on bone. No amount of exercises was going to make>it better. Did the research and have got the large fixture, my only concern>with hip resurfacing is the metal on metal component, which was bad news>via a few companies, have been assured the product is good now...
Best wishes that it all works out okay. For others looking at this op, my surgeon argued - even before the problems with resurfacing became so apparent - that there is very little difference in the impact of the full replacement than resurfacing so why wouldn't you go for the more durable solution. By the time it came for the op he'd moved on to the AMIS procedure so it became a no-brainer to go that way.>Anyway day 1 was spent being sick after each meal and nearly fainting>when I stood up so not the best start...
Maybe you had a late reaction to the morphine, eh Ropedonkey! ;)>The pain is less than it was before the op so that looks like a win early.>Day 2 looks like a longer walk so I hope the fainting stays away....
Keep at 'er and keep us up to date with your progress. My big incentive (apart from not being able to do ANYTHING by the time I had mine done) was looming retirement and being able to accompany my wife on a long (and I mean loooong!) hike in Europe that she'd been dreaming about for years as soon as we finished work. Couldn't be happier with the way things turned out and hope the same applies for you.

Two weeks after op. Walked on crutches but loading my new hip each step for three hrs today. Walked from Huskisson to Vincentia... Sure its a little sore but not the constant arthritic pain as before. So far so good. Next hopefully some swimming and a climb in the near future.. Thanks Doug for your earlier answers

6 week update...
Off crutches at 3-4 weeks and once healed was doing around 250 mtrs on a kick board in the pool.
Riding a bike around ok at present but next to zero strength up any hill..
But best of all top roped a few climbs to grade 19 over the last week.
Still trying to get some sort of high action with new hip, but at least I am really starting to trust smearing as footwork..
Specialist has no concerns for me to climb, so that's good news...
Not trying to organise your day around the nearest chemist is a new experience also..